It's really the atmosphere I'm aiming for in this sketch, so I hope you find it relaxing.

I'm fascinated by Japanese landscape pics and I've tried to base this sketch on that kind of style.

Great to see Sijun coming together again, I haven't participated as much as I would like to due to a number of non-Sijun related reasons, but from what I've seen so far some of the new talent here is just stunning.

The overall Japanese landscape painting community actually gained its roots from China (through Korea's trading system and battles). Laozi actually founded the Daoist philosophy, which soon gave rise to a number of haikus and silk paintings to portray nature as the all encompassing force, while man is only a small fraction of a percentage. It really is quite fascinating to study this philosophy, as many times it contradicts itself..."Those who speak of the Dao [all encompassing natural force] do not know of it; those who do not speak of it understand it." Anyways, enough history

I really like the monochromatic effect you have going on in this painting, ceenda. The desaturated violet-blue really gives it a calming atmosphere. It's also really nice to see your style evolving constantly, rather than just staying in a small groove. One thing you may want to look further into is the way landscape painters tell a story through their overall composition. They have a foreground, middle ground, and background all intertwined in a way so the eye flows from one to the other. Anyway, great job, and I'd love to see you do more of these.

very very cool. your style has become so well defined, i could have been able to tell it was your picture before looking at the name (i swear! )

if i were to change or experiment with anything in this image, i would extend those mountains to fill up that bottom emptiness. even if it was very subtle.. i think it would make the picture look more complete.